Conventional lane markers are either active or passive devices used for indicating safe demarcation areas for either military or commercial activities. The passive markers are typically visual cue devices that are manually placed. They include flags or other artificial visual land monuments. Another type of marker is an active device that operates with an auxiliary power source that is used for activation of a visual marker. These include hooded night lights and exotic catapult launched fuel air explosive weapon system with deploying lane marker, e.g. see U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,398. Problems associated with these earlier lane marker devices when considering a military application include: i) their reliance only visual indication of a demarcated area which can readily be observed by hostile forces; ii) their lack of durability and portability; iii) their reliance on an auxiliary power source; and iv) their limited operational capability due to the necessary fact that they function only under day-lit conditions for the observation thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,265 by Prevou entitled "Battlefield Reference Marking System Signal Device" teaches of a flexible tarp with grommet construction that includes an infrared reflective marking on the tarp. Limitations of the Prevou device include: i) a lack of rigidity which bears upon reliable operation thereof under adverse combat conditions where a tarp-like signal device can easily fail due to high winds or explosive battlefield conditions; ii) manual positioning is the only way for placement of this device by affixing the tarp to a supporting structure which may be impossible in a mined area; and iii) this device is intended for soldier transport in a folded packed condition which does not allow for a rigid condition as required by the instant invention for accurate and reliable observations thereof. This last instance has significant bearing upon reliable detections by a thermal imaging system (TIS).
The present invention herein solves these problems by providing a durable, rigid and simple lane marking device that allows for day and night operations in hostile environments.